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Commanders vs. Packers: Three must-know storylines for Thursday’s Week 2 prime-time game
3) Love mostly good in Week 1, but Commanders D looked better
It’s entirely possible that Micah Parsons was the missing piece for a Super Bowl in Green Bay. But in order for the Packers to compete for a championship, Jordan Love needs to be a huge part of the equation.
In Week 1 against the Lions, Love started hot with two first-half TD passes and a big fourth-down sneak to set up a touchdown that put Detroit away. His preseason left thumb injury appeared to be a non-factor in the opener, although Love was not perfect. He got away with one shaky series that featured a dropped pick and an INT called back by penalty.
The Commanders know their Super Bowl formula includes improvement on defense, and the Week 1 results were very encouraging. Even vs. a limited Giants offense, Washington clamped down, allowing six points, 231 yards and 4-of-16 conversions on third downs. Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw were disruptive inside, Deatrich Wiseand Dorance Armstrong heated up the edges and 2024 trade acquisition Marshon Lattimore looked far better than he did a year ago.
The Packers know they must run the ball more consistently with Josh Jacobs. But Love also must threaten downfield with his receivers. Romeo Doubs showed life, rookie Matthew Golden can roll and Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks figure to play major roles again. They also have a major threat in tight end Tucker Kraft, who caught a touchdown in Week 1.
Washington Post (paywall)
Believe the hype. Jacory Croskey-Merritt is already a success story.
A year ago, the Commanders rookie running back wasn’t sure his NFL dream would come true.
By so many measures, Croskey-Merritt’s rise in popularity — among the Washington Commanders’ fan base, with owners of fantasy football teams, within his own locker room — is among the least likely stories in the infancy of this NFL season. He played just that one game in his final year of college, which came at his third school. He was selected in the seventh and final round of the draft, after 244 players and 24 running backs had been taken before him. He did nothing but make plays throughout the Commanders’ offseason workouts, gained 70 yards on 18 carries and scored a touchdown in two preseason games to easily secure a roster spot, and essentially made three-year starter Brian Robinson Jr. expendable by trade.
On Sunday in his NFL debut, Croskey-Merritt ran 10 times for 82 yards against the New York Giants. The list of rushers who gained more yards in Week 1: Derrick Henry of Baltimore, Travis Etienne of Jacksonville and Breece Hall of the New York Jets. Combined NFL regular season games for those three: 228. To various degrees, they’re experienced stars who have been featured in their offenses for years. Croskey-Merritt arrived as a borderline nobody.
No matter. He scored his first regular season touchdown. He burst free for a 42-yard, fourth-quarter run that about put the Giants away. He heard the Northwest Stadium crowd chant his nickname — “Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!” — like it was something out of a movie.
“This is what I wanted,” Croskey-Merritt said. “Just to be able to show the world that I can play football.”
We’re one week in. Sixteen games over four months stretch out ahead. There’s a strong temptation to resist the hype, to downplay Croskey-Merritt’s potential.
Then you listen to the people who know him.
“They’re going to chant his name for a long time,” said Donald Hill-Eley, Croskey-Merritt’s coach at Alabama State. “That kid’s got a great upside. He’s going to play some good football.”
NFL Week 2 latest buzz, questions, news and fantasy tips
I kept hearing how high Washington was on Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the preseason, and he delivered Sunday with 82 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. I’m expecting his momentum to continue. Austin Ekeler will remain a factor, and the Commanders trust Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. Croskey-Merritt might not be the lead back yet, but he will be eventually. His teammates have been impressed by the patience and vision he showed when running with the first-team offense in camp.
Graziano: I tentatively agree. When Rodriguez was announced as inactive Sunday, it was a clear sign that Croskey-Merritt was in for a significant role. A tiny part of me wonders whether the Commanders might have Rodriguez up for Thursday night’s game with the Packers and give some other backs more work to avoid overloading Croskey-Merritt with two high-usage games in a five-day span. But I have no inside information to suggest that, and being in that locker room after Sunday’s game, I can say they were very happy with what they got from the seventh-round rookie. I expect him to be their main guy for the bulk of this season along with Ekeler, who has his own specific role.
Riggo’s Rag
Commanders’ running back dynamic could take a seismic shift against the Packers
Seventh-round rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt was the champion of the offseason for Washington. He impressed so much throughout camps and preseason that the team was willing to trade away starter Brian Robinson Jr. to clear a role for him.
Still, the player known as “Bill” had his work cut out to become Washington’s featured back. He was placed fourth on the depth chart entering Week 1, though the team elected to activate him over Chris Rodriguez Jr. He responded by recording 82 rushing yards and one touchdown in the Commanders’ win.
Austin Ekeler started the game, but Croskey-Merritt recorded more carries (10) than any other backfield threat. That should speak volumes about what the Commanders intend to do at the position moving forward.
Ekeler had a few impressive moments himself en route to racking up 57 total yards on six carries and three receptions. But at this stage of his career, he is not an every-down back.
The Commanders started Ekeler in Week 1. They didn’t want to saddle Croskey-Merritt with too heavy a load in his NFL debut, but eventually, the rookie proved he is up to the challenge and then some.
It’s already becoming evident that Croskey-Merritt is the best running back in Washington. It should surprise nobody if he gets his first career start with the national NFL audience watching intently.
Commanders Wire
4 keys to a Commanders’ victory vs. Packers in Week 2
Shut down Josh Jacobs
The Commanders shut down the Giants’ running game on Sunday. Stopping Green Bay and Josh Jacobs will be more challenging. Jacobs rushed for 66 yards in the opener, but only averaged 3.5 yards per attempt. Washington would love to keep him at around the same average on Thursday. It’s not going to be easy. If you can make Love beat you, it increases your chances of winning. It’s not that Love can’t beat you; he can, but Jacobs is Green Bay’s offensive MVP. Everything opens up for the Packers when Jacobs is running wild. The Commanders must ensure that does not happen.
Commanders.com
Commanders vs. Packers preview | A primetime battle at Lambeau
Fantasy player rankings for Week 2
Quarterback
Rankings changes: We try to avoid overthinking in this column, so you won’t find much panic after only one week. New York Jets newcomer Justin Fields and Indianapolis Colts newcomer Daniel Jones were among the top three fantasy scorers at QB, thanks to their legs, and they force their way up the rankings. Keeping with the theme of veterans changing franchises and thriving, the Pittsburgh Steelers introduced Aaron Rodgers and enjoyed a comeback win. Rodgers cracks the top 20.
Wide receiver
Rankings changes: Week 1 was not the most proficient week for top wide receivers, with the Cincinnati Bengals‘ Ja’Marr Chase, the Detroit Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr., the Houston Texans‘ Nico Collins and the Eagles’ A.J. Brown among those not performing up to typical standards. Those players hold their rankings. We are not concerned.
Kudos to Jets WR Garrett Wilson, the Ravens’ Zay Flowers and Buccaneers rookie Emeka Egbuka for moving up in the top 20. Miami’s Tyreek Hill and Washington’s Terry McLaurin fall out, but not far.
Podcasts & videos
Primetime Preview | Head Coach Dan Quinn on Commanders vs. Packers | The Gameplan | NFL
NFC East links
Blogging the Boys
Cowboys CB DaRon Bland could miss multiple weeks with foot injury
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, cornerback DaRon Bland could miss a few weeks with a foot injury that he suffered in practice on Monday.
He missed 10 games last season with a stress fracture. It’s unclear at the moment if he injured the same foot this go around. Nonetheless, this is a big blow to the defensive backfield that played pretty well against the Philadelphia Eagles with a then healthy Bland and Trevon Diggs, something that hasn’t happened a lot of the last few years. Kaiir Elam was the third corner in the game.
Blogging the Boys
NFC East Update: Eagles, Commanders start as predicted
The Commanders had the more lopsided win in a 21-6 handling of the Giants. However, the big story of the game was how out of sorts New York QB Russell Wilson seemed, as well as the generally poor state of the team. Washington did their part against a clearly inferior opponent, but just who they are this year won’t be seen without some tougher competition.
So, after opening week:
Philadelphia Eagles 1-0 (1-0 in division, 1-0 vs NFC)
Washington Commanders 1-0 (1-0, 1-0)
Dallas Cowboys 0-1 (0-1, 0-1)
New York Giants 0-1 (0-1, 0-1)
Week 2 could be very good for the Cowboys. They have a great chance to make up for last week at home against the Giants, which could pull them to 1-1 at every level of the standings. The Commanders get that first good test we talked about, traveling to Green Bay on Thursday night. And the Eagles have a Super Bowl rematch in Kansas City. By Sunday night, we could have three 1-1 teams in the NFC East.
Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and 3 more NFL teams feeling the pressure in Week 2
Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions
Campbell’s Detroit Lions were a team with big expectations that did not play well in Week 1. They were completely outclassed by the Green Bay Packers in a 27-13 game that wasn’t even that close. Campbell replaced offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn (who both got head-coaching jobs) with John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard, respectively. There were a lot of questions about who this transition would look and in Week 1, it didn‘t look good.
Dallas Cowboys
[T]he Cowboys played hard under new coach Brian Schottenheimer. Now, they must do everything they can to improve to 1-1 at home against the New York Giants. Vibes will sink further around Jerry World if the Cowboys drop to 0-2 and to two division foes. If they win, they can feel pretty good about themselves, though.
Russell Wilson
You know it was a tough start to Wilson’s tenure with the New York Giants when coach Brian Daboll was asked if he was going to be replaced the day after the game. Wilson is clearly on a short leash and the Giants could turn to first-round pick Jaxson Dart soon. If Wilson, who is clearly near the end of his career, puts up another stinker in Dallas on Sunday, he would soon be benched.
NFL Week 2 latest buzz, questions, news and fantasy tips
Despite Wilson’s struggles, money usually talks in these situations, and to bench Wilson after Week 1 means the Giants would have paid him more than $10 million for one game. Sensible teams don’t typically do such things. And I believe the Giants are trying to be sensible here. This is a team that needs to stick to a plan, and having Dart sit and learn -- at least in the short term -- can help him. Wilson is a declining player but should play better this week against the Cowboys. He provides experience for a team that needs it.
Now, I do believe Dart has expedited the process based on his stellar preseason. Things clicked late in the spring, and Dart took off from there. The Giants’ staff has found him to be a fast learner, highly motivated and, as one team source calls him, “tough as s---.” At the very least, Dart has made a compelling case. And I’m not naive; it feels inevitable that Dart will play -- probably sooner than later. But I’m not overreacting to Week 1. But what happens if Wilson records another dud in Week 2?
Graziano: The drumbeat gets louder. Look, I get the idea of sticking to the plan. But the Giants made Dart the No. 2 quarterback for Sunday’s game, which means they are comfortable with the idea of him going into the game should something happen to Wilson. If that’s the case, why wouldn’t they be comfortable starting him? This is a matter of time, and if Wilson looks as lost and ineffective Sunday in Dallas as he did in Washington, I don’t know how much longer the Giants can hold off.
One question I have, though, is whether they’d turn to Jameis Winston first if they decide Wilson needs to be benched but aren’t ready to put in Dart. I haven’t heard anything to indicate that, but it could represent a compromise of sorts.
Fowler: When I visited the Giants’ joint practice with the Jets, Winston was running the third-team offense and immediately connected on a deep ball. It wouldn’t be the worst decision to play Winston and ride with his fearless style.
Upcoming opponent
Acme Packing Company
Matt LaFleur has Dan Quinn’s number
In head-to-head matchups, LaFleur’s Packers are 3-0 against Quinn.
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn’s history goes back to 2015, when Quinn, as a first-time head coach, hired LaFleur to be his quarterbacks coach with the Atlanta Falcons. LaFleur served in that role for two years, including the 2016 team that went to the Super Bowl, before leaving to become a non-play-calling offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams.
After a year with the Rams, he took a play-calling offensive coordinator job with the Tennessee Titans, which, after one season, led to him becoming the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. 68 wins and five playoff berths in six seasons later, that’s all history.
But I bring this LaFleur and Quinn connection up for one reason and one reason only: LaFleur’s teams have beaten Quinn’s teams badly in the passing game. Quinn famously plays a lot of predictable single-high coverages, Cover 1 and Cover 3, which LaFleur has had great game plans for.
Since becoming a play-caller, LaFleur’s beaten Quinn in all three head-to-head matchups. In all three of those games, the Packers have never scored fewer than 30 points. In all three of those games, Green Bay quarterbacks have thrown for at least three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Most recently, the Jordan Love-led Packers beat the Quinn Dallas Cowboys 48-32 at A&T Stadium back in January of 2024. Love averaged 13 yards per pass, threw for three touchdowns and posted a quarterback rating of 157.2 on the day.
Acme Packing Company
Packers ready to welcome Commanders to Lambeau
Can the Packers start 2-0?
The schedule makers sure didn’t ease the Packers into the 2025 season. Fresh off facing the 2024 NFC North champs, the Packers are now set to play host to the 2024 NFC runners-up.
In the first year of the Dan Quinn/Jayden Daniels era in Washington, the Commanders put up an impressive 12-5 record, including a win over the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Sure, the Eagles got the last laugh in pretty dramatic fashion, putting 55 points on the Commanders to earn a Super Bowl berth, but that’s not the point. The Commanders fast-tracked their Daniels and Quinn-led rebuild, and now are looking to run their 2025 record to 2-0.
Of course, the Packers have a bit to say about that, and will no doubt look to introduce Daniels to his old NFC East rival Micah Parsons as often as possible. Parsons is quite familiar with Daniels, for that matter: in two games against Washington last year, Parsons sacked Daniels 4.5 times.
And with the Commanders’ offensive line sporting rookie Josh Conerly at right tackle, I’m sure Parsons would love to add to that number.
Packers Wire
Commanders offense scouting report: How do Packers stop Jayden Daniels?
Daniels loves to attack the middle of the field, between the numbers and between 10 and 20 yards downfield.
He was absolutely deadly in this area as a rookie, and this continued in Week 1 of the 2025 season. Against the Giants, 22 of Daniels’ 30 pass attempts were between the numbers.
Green Bay’s goal against the pass should be to clog the middle of the field and force Daniels to throw it somewhere else, as he is not as effective when doing so.
He is a league average quarterback when throwing the ball deep, and is one of the worst at throwing short, ranking 31st in adjusted completion rate. Daniels does not make many “big boy throws,” ranking below average in average depth of target and big time throw rate.
The second prong of Daniels’ game is his extremely dangerous running ability. He rushed for over 1,000 yards as a rookie (including the playoffs), ranking third in yards after contact per attempt and first in missed tackles forced.
Much of his production came as a result of scrambles, rather than designed runs. Daniels led the league in scramble attempts by a country mile with 87. The next closest quarterback had 53.
Although Daniels is elusive, he is quite prone to taking sacks, partially due to the fact he has a slight frame and finds it harder to escape the grasp of defenders. He holds on to the ball, ranking 34th in 2024 in time to throw, and 21st in pressure-to-sack rate.
their plan of attack will need to be the complete opposite of how they went after Jared Goff, where creating chaos was king as they tried to move him off his spot.
The Packers will need to have pristine rush lane discipline to prevent Daniels from finding an escape valve and hurting them with his legs.
NFL league links
Front Office Sports
ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start
ESPN said late Wednesday that it averaged 22.1 million viewers for the Monday Night Football game in Chicago between the Vikings and Bears, up 8% from the comparable game to start the 2024 season. The figure represents the second-highest audience for a Week 1 MNF game, spanning 35 broadcasts, since ESPN gained those rights in 2006. Monday’s game was also shown on ABC.
Turning the Page
Attention around NFL viewership now quickly shifts to Week 2, which has another set of big games, including the Thursday Night Football opener on Amazon featuring the Commanders and Packers, and a Super Bowl LIX rematch between the Eagles and Chiefs. That latter contest will be the featured national broadcast on Fox for its America’s Game of the Week showcase late Sunday afternoon.
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